


Unorthodox

by lawsofman



Series: We Few, We Happy Few, We Band of Brothers- [4]
Category: Band of Brothers
Genre: Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Post-War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:28:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23363944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lawsofman/pseuds/lawsofman
Summary: Bill has some second thoughts about meeting reader’s family post-war on their drive to Massachusetts for a wedding. Reader lets him know there’s nothing to worry about.
Relationships: Bill Guarnere/Original Female Character(s)
Series: We Few, We Happy Few, We Band of Brothers- [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1676491
Kudos: 11





	Unorthodox

**Author's Note:**

> no warning, just comfort and fluff. i have so much love to give this man.

“We’ve jumped out of perfectly good airplanes a dozen times and you’re scared to meet my family?” I asked Bill as he drove us north towards Massachusetts from Philly for my brother’s wedding. The beautiful scenery of Connecticut passed us along the highway. “Seems a little backwards if you ask me,”

“I’m not scared,” His tone dripped with agitation and his knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel. I rested my left hand on his right thigh -the leg that was injured in Bastogne- and gave it a comforting squeeze, letting him know I was done teasing him. The pretty engagement ring that was nestled on my finger sparkled in the sunlight, bringing a smile to my face. “I’m nervous, there’s a _difference_. And I didn’t ask you.” Bill explained, his eyes switching from me and the road. His right hand came down from the wheel and held the hand I had on his leg.

“Right, well you have nothing to be _nervous_ about,” I corrected myself. Bill sighed and brought his hand back up to the wheel. I sat up in the passenger seat, adjusting myself to face him. “Alright, then talk to me. We’ve gone through this a million times. If either one of us is having a problem, we talk it out, right? Not let it bottle up,” Bill sighed heavily, releasing the tension he built up around the wheel. I looked at the passing sign, giving me an idea. “There’s a rest stop coming up. Pull over,” He nodded as took the next exit and parked the car.

“We’re talking this out,” I coaxed once more. Bill turned off the ignition and just sat a moment, contemplating what he was going to say.

“No matter how many times we talk about this,” Bill’s voice held a vulnerability that only I got to hear, that I had to fight to hear. When I came home from Europe after the war, I spent about a week at home with my family, then took off to Philadelphia against my family’s wishes. It took _months_ for Bill to have an actual conversation with me. He was angry and bitter and he felt worthless after he had given so much of himself for his country. He felt like dirt, and I tried my damnedest to get him as close to the Bill he was before he was carted out of the forests of Bastogne. And as much as I’d like those feelings to disappear with time, it just didn’t work that way.

“I still feel like I’m not good enough. The insecurities with this,” He gestured down to his half-leg, “Never goes away,” Bill’s voice was soft and I felt my heart sink. I reached up and brought his hand back down, lacing my fingers with his much larger ones. “You know I get shaken up meetin’ people because this is the first thing they notice. They see the leg first and me second.” I brought the back of his hand to my lips and gave it a loving smooch. “I just want your family to approve of me _after_ they see me, like I’m _able_ to give you the life you deserve,” I felt the familiar sting of tears building in my eyes. The last thing Bill needed right now was to see me cry, so I tried to steady my breaths to delay the inevitable.

“They feel like they already know you with how much I write to them. You’re not a stranger. You’re a hero to my family, Bill. And you’re a hero to me.” I started. Bill finally turned to me as I spoke, “Did you know that every morning I wake up, I wake up with a smile on my face the second I see you next to me. Regardless of how I’m feeling, regardless of any stupid arguments we had the previous night, or the stress we go through for whatever reason. I purposefully wake up before you because it’s something that I get to cherish for myself.” Bill’s dark brows furrowed.

“I smile when I feel your arm slung around my waist, or I feel your face nestled behind my ear in the middle of the night. I feel your heat in the bed and I’m grateful that I’m not in a foxhole in Bastogne, that I’m not fighting for my life in Hagenau. I’m _grateful_ that I’m home, and that I get to share that home with you. I’m _grateful_ because I’m not waking up alone.” I took a breath when I felt my throat constrict. I looked into Bill’s eyes and let my voice fall to a whisper. “There was a very long time when I thought that’s what my reality was going to be when they took you.” Bill’s expression turned remorseful at the wobble in my voice. I used the sleeve of my cardigan to wipe at my own tears. Bill immediately pulled me to him, hugging me to his chest. I wrapped my arms around his waist, letting the stability of his strong body anchor me down.

“I can’t even begin to understand what you went through when you came back alone, and I won’t pretend to. It breaks my heart to know you did it all alone and I wasn’t able to help you through it, but you _did_ get through it, Bill. You got through it and you came out a better man because of it, whether you want to believe me or not. You were worthy of me then, and you’re more than worthy of me now. And this leg,” I gave it a pat, “Does not decide what your worth is.” I unwrapped myself from him, but let him keep his hold around my shoulders. I looked up at Bill.

“All I’ve ever asked is that you love me, Bill, and that you treat me right. You go well above and beyond with both of those.” Bill blinked, silent tears falling down his face. I brought a thumb up to wipe the tears from the apples of his cheeks. I lifted my left hand between us, still cupping Bill’s cheek with the other.

“You see this?” I wiggled my fingers, throwing a smile to Bill at the memory of his proposal. “This means that we have our whole lives ahead of us, Bill. This means we can go anywhere, do anything we want. We make our future _together_.” I leaned up and gave Bill a soft kiss. “I want you forever, Bill. The ups and the downs, the good and the bad. You’re stuck with me for eternity.” Bill breathed out a single laugh, a smile finally coming back. “It’s not going to be easy, but I wouldn’t have anyone else by my side.” Bill just stared down at me with so much love and adoration seeping through every pore. Those looks alone made my heart want to flutter straight out of my chest.

“You had this big speech saved up just for me?” Bill’s famous smirk started to pull at his lips. I snorted and gave his chest a playful hit. “I’m kiddin’, I’m kiddin’ with ya.” Bill leaned down to kiss me once more, letting his lips linger. “I’m a better man because of you. I get out of bed because of you. I leave the house every day because of you. Honest to God, I don’t know what I’d do without ya.” His words were earnest.

“You’d send yourself into an early grave without me, is what you’d do. I’ve invested my time, Bill, and my love, so I’m gonna get my forever out of you if it’s the last thing I do.” I gave him one more kiss before sitting back on my side of the seat. “Now, let’s get to Manchester-by-the-Sea before my mother has a conniption. She’s been chomping at the bit to meet you and this wedding has only made her worse. Plus she’s planning a very New England dinner for our arrival, just for you, and if I ruin it by keeping you held up here she’ll have my head.” Bill laughed.

“Only about two hours left of this drive and you’ll be safe from your mother’s wrath.” I gave his leg a pat and he tossed me once more look of affection before turning the ignition back on and heading back to the highway.

“Your dad gonna give me flack for keeping his little girl in a different state this whole time? What about the whole proposal thing? I wrote to him and he gave me his blessing, but-” I placed a hand on Bill’s bicep.

“I spent two years in Georgia and three years in Europe. If we are anything, Bill, it is _unorthodox_. Stop stressing. We are gonna have a blast this weekend. And you’re gonna love Massachusetts.” Bill gave me a side-eye.

“I’m all about having fun, but let’s not push it with the loving Massachusetts thing, huh. I got a hard Philly reputation to uphold.” I let out a loud laugh -rolling my eyes- making Bill smile. He reached over and laced his hand with mine once more, letting them rest on the seat.

“Whatever you say, Bill.”


End file.
